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EnglishSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags -> SRS airbag for your Subaru Forester 2019-2024
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
76
2. Tighten the top tether securely.
! To hook the top tether
1-9. SRS airbag (Supplemen-
tal Restraint System airbag)
SUBARU recommends that you check
with a certified Child Passenger Safety
Technician to ensure the proper installa-
tion of your child restraint system. For
more information, and to locate the closest
inspection location in the U.S., refer to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration (NHTSA) website. In Canada,
check with Transport Canada.
CAUTION
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
name is used because the airbag system
supplements the vehicle’s seatbelts.
.
.
Remove the head restraint when
mounting a child restraint sys-
tem. Otherwise, the top tether
cannot be fastened tightly.
This vehicle is equipped with a supple-
mental restraint system which consists of
seven airbags.
Store the head restraint that has
been removed in the cargo area.
Do not place the head restraint in
the passenger compartment to
prevent it from being thrown
around in the passenger com-
partment in a sudden stop or a
sharp turn.
The configurations are as follows.
.
.
.
Driver’s and front passenger’s frontal
airbags
Driver’s and front passenger’s side
airbags
Curtain airbags (for driver, front pas-
senger, and window-side rear passen-
gers)
.
Knee airbag for driver
These SRS airbags are designed only
as a supplement to the primary protec-
tion provided by the seatbelt.
The system also controls seatbelt preten-
sioners. For operation instructions and
precautions concerning the seatbelt pre-
tensioner, refer to “Seatbelt pretensioners”
�P57.
1. Attach the top tether hook to the
appropriate upper anchorage.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 77
help avoid injuries that can result
when an occupant is not seated
in a proper upright position.
as possible and sit upright and well
back in the seat.
& General precautions regard-
ing SRS airbag system
WARNING
.
To obtain maximum protection in
the event of an accident, the
driver and all passengers must
always wear seatbelts when in
the vehicle. The SRS airbag is
designed only to be a supplement
to the primary protection pro-
vided by the seatbelt. It does not
eliminate the need to fasten seat-
belts. In combination with the
seatbelts, it offers the best pro-
tection in case of a serious acci-
dent.
WARNING
WARNING
Not wearing a seatbelt increases
the chance of severe injury or
death in a crash even when the
vehicle has the SRS system.
.
Do not sit or lean close to either
front door. The SRS side airbags
are stored in both front seat
seatbacks next to the door, and
they provide protection by de-
ploying rapidly in the event of a
side impact collision. However,
the force of SRS side airbag
deployment can injure an occu-
pant whose body is too close to
an SRS airbag.
The SRS airbags deploy with con-
siderable speed and force. Occu-
pants who are not seated in proper
upright position when the SRS air-
bag deploys could suffer serious
injury. Because the SRS airbag
needs enough space for deploy-
ment, the driver should always sit
upright and back in the seat as far
from the steering wheel as practical
while still maintaining full vehicle
control, and the front passenger
should move the seat as far back
For instructions and precautions
concerning the seatbelt system,
refer to “Seatbelts” �P48.
.
The SRS side airbags and SRS
curtain airbags are designed only
to be a supplement to the primary
protection provided by the seat-
belt. They do not eliminate the
need to fasten seatbelts. It is also
important to wear a seatbelt to
.
Since your vehicle is equipped
with SRS curtain airbags, do not
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SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
78
sit or lean close to the front or
rear door on either side. Do not
put body parts out of the window.
The SRS curtain airbags on both
sides of the cabin are stored in
the roof side (between the front
pillar and a point behind the rear
quarter glass), and they provide
protection by deploying rapidly
in the event of a side impact,
rollover or an offset frontal colli-
sion. However, the force of its
deployment can injure an occu-
pant whose body is too close to
an SRS airbag.
bruises to the face or arms,
because of the SRS airbag de-
ployment force.
CAUTION
.
.
When the SRS airbag deploys,
some smoke will be released.
This smoke could cause breath-
ing problems for people with a
history of asthma or other breath-
ing trouble. If you or your pas-
sengers have breathing pro-
blems after SRS airbag deploys,
get fresh air promptly.
A deploying SRS airbag releases
hot gas. Occupants could get
burned if they come into direct
contact with the hot gas.
.
Do not sit or lean unnecessarily
close to the SRS airbag. Because
the SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force to
protect in high speed collisions,
the force of an airbag can injure
an occupant whose body is too
close to SRS airbag.
NOTE
WARNING
.
When you sell your vehicle, we urge
you to inform the buyer that the
vehicle is equipped with SRS air-
bags. Also, notify the buyer of the
applicable section in this Owner’s
Manual.
If the SRS airbag deploys, fuel
supply will be cut off to reduce the
risk of fire caused by leaking fuel.
For details about restarting of the
engine, refer to “If your vehicle is
involved in an accident” �P442.
.
.
Keep arms away from either front
door or its internal trim. They
could be injured in the event of
SRS side airbag deployment.
It is also important to wear seat-
belts to help avoid injuries that
can result when the SRS airbag
contacts an occupant not in their
proper position.
Do not place any objects over or
near the SRS airbag cover or
between you and the SRS airbag.
If the SRS airbag deploys, these
objects could interfere with its
proper operation and could be
propelled inside the vehicle,
causing injury.
.
Even when properly positioned,
there remains a possibility that
an occupant may suffer minor
injury, such as abrasions and
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 79
& General precautions regard-
ing SRS airbag system for
accessories and any objects
WARNING
.
Do not put any objects (including
straps or cords) over the steering
wheel pad, column cover, or
dashboard.
–
These objects could be en-
tangled with the steering
wheel, preventing the SRS
frontal airbag, etc. from oper-
ating properly.
–
If the SRS frontal airbag de-
ploys, these objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle,
causing injury.
WARNING
Do not attach accessories to the
windshield or fit an extra-wide mir-
ror over the inside rear view mirror. If
the SRS airbag deploys, those ob-
jects could become projectiles that
could seriously injure vehicle occu-
pants.
.
.
Do not put any objects under the
driver’s side of the instrument
panel. If the SRS knee airbag
deploys, those objects could in-
terfere with its proper operation
and could be propelled inside the
vehicle, causing injury.
The key must not be attached to
heavy, sharp or hard acces-
sories, or another key. If the SRS
knee airbag deploys, those ob-
jects could interfere with its
proper operation and could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
cause injury.
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SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
80
accessory in such a location
tain airbags.
could be propelled through the
cabin with great force by the
curtain airbag, or it could prevent
correct deployment of the curtain
airbag. In either case, the result
could be serious injuries.
Before hanging clothing on the coat
hooks, make sure there are no sharp
objects in the pockets. Hang cloth-
ing directly on the coat hooks with-
out using hangers.
WARNING
.
.
Do not attach accessories to the
door trim or near either SRS side
airbags and do not place objects
near the SRS side airbags. In the
event of SRS side airbag deploy-
ment, they could be propelled
dangerously toward the vehicle’s
occupants and cause injuries.
WARNING
WARNING
.
Do not put any kind of clothes or
other objects over either front
seatback and do not attach labels
or stickers to the front seat sur-
face on or near the SRS side
airbag. They could prevent prop-
er deployment of the SRS side
airbag, reducing protection avail-
able to the front seat’s occupant.
Do not hang coat hangers or other
hard or pointed objects on the coat
hook. If such items were hanging on
the coat hooks during deployment
of the SRS curtain airbags, they
could cause serious injuries by
coming off the coat hooks and being
thrown through the cabin or by
preventing deployment of the cur-
Do not attach a hands-free micro-
phone or any other accessory to
a front pillar, a center pillar, a rear
pillar, the windshield, a side win-
dow, an assist grip, or any other
cabin surface that would be near
a deploying SRS curtain airbag. A
hands-free microphone or other
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 81
airbag deploys with considerable
speed and force and can injure or
even kill children, especially if they
are not restrained or improperly
restrained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults, their
risk of being injured from deploy-
ment is greater.
.
Do not install a seat cover unless
it is a genuine SUBARU seat
cover exclusively designed for
use with the SRS airbag. Even
when using a genuine SUBARU
seat cover, the SRS side airbag
system may not function nor-
mally if the seat cover is not
installed correctly.
For that reason, we strongly recom-
mend that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those that
have outgrown child restraint sys-
tems) sit in the REAR seat properly
restrained at all times in a child
restraint device or in a seatbelt,
whichever is appropriate for the
child’s age, height and weight.
& General precautions regard-
ing SRS airbag system and
children
WARNING
NEVER INSTALL A CHILD RE-
STRAINT SYSTEM IN THE FRONT
PASSENGER’S SEAT. DOING SO
RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH
TO THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO THE
SRS AIRBAG.
Secure ALL types of child restraint
systems (including forward facing
child seats) in the REAR seats at all
times.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating posi-
tions.
For instructions and precautions
concerning the child restraint sys-
tem, refer to “Child restraint sys-
tems” �P60.
WARNING
Seat children in the rear seat prop-
erly restrained at all times. The SRS
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SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
82
WARNING
WARNING
Never allow a child to stand up or
kneel on the front passenger’s seat.
The SRS airbag deploys with con-
siderable force and can injure or
even kill the child.
Never hold a child on your lap or in
your arms. The SRS airbag deploys
with considerable force and can
injure or even kill the child.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 83
WARNING
.
Never allow a child to do the
following.
–
–
–
Kneel on any passenger’s seat
facing the side window.
Wrap his/her arms around the
front seat seatback.
Put his/her head, arms or
other parts of the body out of
the window.
In the event of an accident, the
force of SRS side airbag and/or
SRS curtain airbag deployment
could injure the child seriously
because his/her head, arms or
other parts of the body are too
close to the SRS side airbag and/
or SRS curtain airbag.
.
Since your vehicle is also
equipped with a front passen-
ger’s SRS frontal airbag, children
should be placed in the rear seat
anyway and should be properly
restrained at all times.
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
84
& Components
The SRS airbags are stowed in the
following locations.
1
2
3
4
Driver’s SRS frontal airbag: in the
center portion of the steering wheel
Front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag:
near the top of the dashboard
SRS side airbag: in the door side of each
front seat seatback
SRS curtain airbag: in the roof side
(between the front pillar and a point
behind the rear quarter glass)
SRS knee airbag: under the steering
column
5
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 85
1
Airbag control module (including impact
sensor and rollover sensor)
2
3
Frontal airbag module (driver’s side)
Frontal airbag module (front passenger’s
side)
4
5
6
7
Front impact sensor (left-hand side)
Front impact sensor (right-hand side)
Side airbag module (driver’s side)
Side airbag module (front passenger’s
side)
8
9
Side impact sensor (center pillar left-
hand side)
Side impact sensor (center pillar right-
hand side)
10 Airbag wiring
11 Seatbelt pretensioner and adaptive force
limiter (driver’s side)
12 Seatbelt pretensioner and adaptive force
limiter (front passenger’s side)
13 Side impact sensor (rear wheel house
right-hand side)
14 Side impact sensor (rear wheel house
left-hand side)
15 Curtain airbag module (right-hand side)
16 Curtain airbag module (left-hand side)
17 Seatbelt buckle switch (front passenger’s
side)
18 Knee airbag module (driver’s side)
19 Front passenger’s occupant detection
system sensor
20 Front passenger’s occupant detection
control module
21 Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON and
OFF indicator
22 SRS airbag system warning light
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SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
86
23 Side impact sensor (under the rear center
seat)
24 Side impact sensor (front door left-hand
side)
25 Side impact sensor (front door right-hand
side)
ADVANCED AIR BAGS” and a tag at-
tached to the glove box lid beginning with
the phrase “Even with Advanced Air
Bags”. Make sure that you carefully read
the instructions on the warning labels and
tag.
Always wear your seatbelt. The SUBARU
advanced frontal airbag system is a
supplemental restraint system and must
be used in combination with a seatbelt. All
occupants should wear a seatbelt or be
seated in an appropriate child restraint
system.
& SUBARU advanced frontal
airbag system
Your vehicle is equipped with a SUBARU
advanced frontal airbag system that com-
plies with the new advanced frontal airbag
requirements in the amended Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
No. 208.
The SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
system automatically determines the de-
ployment force of the driver’s SRS frontal
airbag at the time of deployment as well as
whether or not to activate the front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbag and, if
activated, the deployment force of the SRS
frontal airbag at the time of deployment.
26 Lap belt pretensioner (front passenger’s
side)
27 Lap belt pretensioner (driver’s side)
28 Driver’s seat position sensor
29 Passenger’s seat position sensor
30 Rear seatbelt pretensioner (front passen-
ger’s side)
31 Rear seatbelt pretensioner (driver’s side)
For the locations of the SRS airbags, refer
to “Components” �P84.
In a moderate to severe frontal collision,
the following components deploy.
.
.
.
.
SRS frontal airbag for driver
SRS frontal airbag for front passenger
SRS knee airbag for driver
1
SRS curtain airbag*
*1: When an offset frontal collision that is severe
enough to deploy the front airbag occurs.
These components supplement the seat-
belts by reducing the impact to the
occupant’s head, chest and knees.
Your vehicle has warning labels on the
driver’s and front passenger’s sun visors
beginning with the phrase “EVEN WITH
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 87
airbag deploys. This is normal. In this
case, although the front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbag does not operate, the front
passenger’s seatbelt pretensioner oper-
ates with the driver’s seatbelt preten-
sioner. For details about the seatbelt
pretensioner, refer to “Seatbelt preten-
sioners” �P57.
! Driver’s SRS frontal airbag
! Front passenger’s SRS frontal air-
bag
The driver’s SRS frontal airbag uses a dual
stage inflator. The inflator operates in
different ways depending on the severity
of impact.
The front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
uses a dual stage inflator. The inflator
operates in different ways depending on
the severity of impact.
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the
SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
system from functioning correctly
or cause the system to fail.
.
.
.
Do not apply any strong impact to
the front passenger’s seat, such
as by kicking.
SRS airbag system warning light
Do not let rear passengers rest
their feet between the front seat-
back and seat cushion.
1
Occupant detection system sensors
Have the system inspected by your
SUBARU dealer immediately if the SRS
airbag system warning light illuminates.
The occupant detection system sensors
are installed between the seat and seat
rails, and monitor the physique and pos-
ture of the front passenger. Using this
information, the occupant detection sys-
tem determines whether the front passen-
ger’s SRS frontal airbag should be de-
ployed or not.
Do not spill liquid on the front
passenger’s seat. If liquid is
spilled, wipe it off immediately.
NOTE
The driver’s SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag are not controlled by the
SUBARU advanced frontal airbag sys-
tem.
.
.
Do not remove or disassemble
the front passenger’s seat.
Do not install any accessory
(such as an audio amplifier) other
than a genuine SUBARU acces-
sory under the front passenger’s
The occupant detection system may not
inflate the front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbag even when the driver’s SRS frontal
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
88
seat.
NOTE
.
.
.
.
Do not place anything (shoes,
umbrella, etc.) under the front
passenger’s seat.
The front passenger’s SRS side airbag
and SRS curtain airbag are not con-
trolled by the SUBARU advanced fron-
tal airbag system.
Do not place any objects (books,
etc.) around the front passen-
ger’s seat.
! Passenger’s frontal airbag ON and
OFF indicators
Do not use the front passenger’s
seat with the head restraint re-
moved.
Do not leave any articles on the
front passenger’s seat or the
seatbelt tongue and buckle en-
gaged when you leave your vehi-
cle.
SRS airbag system warning light
If the seatbelt buckle switch and/or front
passenger’s occupant detection system
have failed, the SRS airbag system warn-
ing light will illuminate. Have the system
inspected by your SUBARU dealer imme-
diately if the SRS airbag system warning
light illuminates.
If your vehicle has sustained impact, this
may affect the proper function of the
SUBARU advanced frontal airbag system.
Have your vehicle inspected at your
SUBARU dealer. Do not use the front
passenger’s seat while driving the vehicle
to your SUBARU dealer.
.
.
.
Do not put sharp object(s) on the
seat or pierce the seat uphols-
tery.
Do not place a magnet near the
seatbelt buckle and the seatbelt
retractor.
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
indicator
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF
indicator
Do not use front seats with their
forward-backward position and
seatback not being locked into
place securely. If any of them are
not locked securely, adjust them
again. For adjusting procedure,
refer to “Forward and backward
adjustment” �P33 and “Reclin-
ing the seatback” �P33.
Refer to “Front passenger’s frontal airbag
ON and OFF indicators” �P172.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 89
case, contact your SUBARU dealer
immediately.
! Occupant detection system
CAUTION
Electrical devices, such as cell
phones, laptops, portable music
players, or electronic games, espe-
cially when connected to the acces-
sory power outlet and placed on the
front passenger’s seat or used by
the person sitting in the front pas-
senger’s seat, may affect the opera-
tion of the occupant detection sys-
tem. If either of the following situa-
tions occurs when using an electro-
nic device in the vehicle, at first try
to relocate that device to avoid it
creating any interference.
SRS airbag system warning light
If the front passenger’s seat cushion is
wet, this may adversely affect the ability of
the system to determine deployment.
Wipe off liquid from the seat, let the seat
dry naturally and then check the SRS
airbag system warning light.
1
Occupant detection system sensors
The occupant detection system sensors
are installed between the seat and seat
rails, and monitor the physique and pos-
ture of the front passenger. Using this
information, the occupant detection sys-
tem determines whether the front passen-
ger’s SRS frontal airbag should be de-
ployed or not.
.
The SRS airbag system warning
light illuminates.
.
The front passenger’s frontal air-
bag ON and OFF indicators oper-
ate erratically.
WARNING
If the device continues to cause
interference, the use of that device
in the vehicle should be discontin-
ued.
Do not kick the front passenger seat
or subject it to severe impact. Other-
wise, the SRS airbag system warn-
ing light may illuminate to indicate a
malfunction of the front passenger
occupant detection system. In this
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SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
90
! Conditions in which front passen-
ger’s SRS frontal airbag is not
activated
The front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
will not be activated when any of the
following conditions are met regarding
the front passenger’s seat:
.
.
The seat is empty.
The seat is equipped with an appro-
priate child restraint system and an
infant or a child is restrained in it. (See
WARNING that follows.)
.
The front passenger’s occupant detec-
tion system is malfunctioning.
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
indicator
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF
indicator
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
indicator
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF
indicator
WARNING
If the front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
and OFF indicators do not work properly
even when the front passenger’s seat is
dry, do not allow anyone to sit on the front
passenger’s seat and have the occupant
detection system checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
Also, if luggage or electronic devices are
placed on the front passenger’s seat, this
may adversely affect the ability of the
system to determine deployment. This
may prevent the front passenger’s frontal
airbag ON and OFF indicators from work-
ing properly. Check that the indicators
work properly.
When the OFF indicator turns off and the
ON indicator illuminates, the front passen-
ger’s frontal airbag may deploy during a
collision. Remove luggage and electronic
devices from the front passenger’s seat.
NEVER INSTALL A CHILD RE-
STRAINT SYSTEM IN THE FRONT
PASSENGER’S SEAT EVEN IF THE
FRONT PASSENGER’S SRS FRON-
TAL AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED. Be
sure to install it in the REAR seat in a
correct manner. Also, it is strongly
recommended that any forward fa-
cing child seat or booster seat be
installed in the REAR seat, and that
even children who have outgrown a
child restraint system be also seated
in the REAR seat. This is because
children sitting in the front passen-
ger’s seat may be killed or severely
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 91
the child restraint system.
! If the front passenger’s frontal
airbag ON indicator illuminates
and the OFF indicator turns off
even when an infant or a small
child is in a child restraint sys-
tem (including booster seat)
injured should the front passenger’s
SRS frontal airbag deploy. REAR
seats are the safest place for chil-
dren.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and make sure that the front
passenger’s frontal airbag ON indica-
tor turns off and the OFF indicator
illuminates.
CAUTION
If the ON indicator still remains illuminated
while the OFF indicator turns off, take the
following actions.
When the front passenger’s seat is
occupied by an infant in an appro-
priate child restraint system, ob-
serve the following precautions.
Failure to do so may interfere with
the proper operation of the occupant
detection system, activating the
front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
even though that seat is occupied by
the infant in the child restraint
system.
.
Ensure that no article is placed on the
seat other than the child restraint
system and the child occupant.
.
Ensure that the backward-forward po-
sition and seatback of the front pas-
senger’s seat are locked into place
securely by moving the seat back and
forth.
.
Do not place any article (includ-
ing electronic devices) on the
seat other than the infant in the
child restraint system.
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
indicator
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF
indicator
If the ON indicator still remains illuminated
while the OFF indicator turns off after
taking the relevant corrective actions
described above, relocate the child re-
straint system to the rear seat and im-
mediately contact your SUBARU dealer
for an inspection.
.
Do not place more than one infant
in the child restraint system.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF” position.
2. Remove the child restraint system from
the seat.
3. By referring to the child restraint
manufacturer’s recommendations as
well as the child restraint system
installation procedures in “Child re-
straint systems” �P60, correctly install
NOTE
When a child who has outgrown a child
restraint system or a small adult is
seated in the front passenger’s seat,
the SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
92
system may or may not activate the
front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
depending on the occupant’s seating
posture. Children should always wear a
seatbelt when sitting in the seat irre-
spective of whether the airbag is deac-
tivated or activated. If the front passen-
ger’s SRS frontal airbag is activated
(the ON indicator remains illuminated
while the OFF indicator turns off), take
the following action.
! If the passenger’s frontal airbag
OFF indicator illuminates and the
ON indicator turns off even when
the front passenger’s seat is
occupied by an adult
! Conditions in which front passen-
ger’s SRS frontal airbag is activated
The front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
will be activated for deployment upon
impact when any of the following condi-
tions are met regarding the front passen-
ger’s seat.
.
.
When the seat is occupied by an adult.
When certain items (e.g. jug of water)
are placed on the seat.
.
Ensure that no article is placed on
the seat other than the occupant.
If the ON indicator still remains illumi-
nated while the OFF indicator turns off
despite the fact that the actions noted
above have been taken, seat the child/
small adult in the rear seat and imme-
diately contact your SUBARU dealer for
an inspection. Even if the system has
passed the dealer inspection, it is
recommended that on subsequent trips
the child/small adult always take the
rear seat.
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
indicator
: Front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF
indicator
This can be caused by the adult incorrectly
sitting in the front passenger’s seat.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF” position.
2. Ask the front passenger to set the
seatback to the upright position, sit up
straight in the center of the seat
cushion, correctly fasten the seatbelt,
position his/her legs out forward, and
adjust the seat to the rearmost posi-
Children who have outgrown a child
restraint system should always wear the
seatbelt irrespective of whether the airbag
is deactivated or activated.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 93
tion.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position.
If the OFF indicator remains illuminated
while the ON indicator remains off, take the
following actions.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF” position.
2. Make sure that the front passenger
does not use a blanket, seat cushion,
seat cover, seat heater or massager,
etc.
3. If wearing excessive layers of clothing,
the front passenger should remove any
unnecessary items before sitting in the
front passenger’s seat, or should sit in
a rear seat.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and wait 6 seconds to allow
the system to complete self-checking.
Following the system check, both
indicators turn off for 2 seconds. Now,
the ON indicator should illuminate
while the OFF indicator remains off.
If the OFF indicator still remains illumi-
nated while the ON indicator remains off,
ask the occupant to move to the rear seat
and immediately contact your SUBARU
dealer for an inspection.
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
94
! Operation
The SRS airbags can function only when
the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
The SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
system is designed to determine the
activation or deactivation condition of the
front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag de-
pending on the characteristic of item(s) or
person on the front passenger’s seat
monitored by the front passenger’s occu-
pant detection system sensor. For this
reason, only the driver’s SRS frontal
airbag may deploy in the event of a
collision, but this does not mean failure of
the system.
If the following sensors detect a predeter-
mined amount of force during a frontal
collision, the control module sends signals
to the airbag module(s) (only driver’s
module or both driver’s and front passen-
ger’s modules) instructing the module(s) to
inflate the SRS frontal airbag(s).
.
.
The front impact sensors
The impact sensors in the airbag
control module
A
B
1
2
Driver’s side
On the driver’s side, the SRS knee airbag
also inflates with the SRS frontal airbag.
Passenger’s side
SRS AIRBAGs deploy as soon as a collision occurs.
After deployment, SRS AIRBAGs start to deflate immediately so that the driver’s vision is not
obstructed.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 95
The driver’s and front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbags use dual stage inflators.
The two inflators of each airbag are
triggered either sequentially or simulta-
neously, depending on the severity of
impact, in the case of the driver’s SRS
frontal airbag and depending on the
severity of impact and the characteristic
of item(s) or person on the seat in the case
of the front passenger’s SRS frontal air-
bag.
would not protect the occupant in those
situations.
CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS airbag system
components around the steering
wheel and dashboard with bare
hands right after deployment. Doing
so can cause burns because the
components can be very hot as a
result of deployment.
SRS airbag deployment depends on the
level of force experienced in the passen-
ger compartment during a collision. That
level differs from one type of collision to
another, and it may have no bearing on the
visible damage done to the vehicle itself.
! Example of accident in which the
driver’s/driver’s and front pas-
senger’s SRS frontal airbag(s)
will most likely deploy
! Example of the type of accident
! After deployment
The driver’s SRS frontal airbag and front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbag are de-
signed as follows.
After deployment, the SRS airbag imme-
diately starts to deflate so that the driver’s
vision is not obstructed and the driver’s
ability to maintain control of the vehicle is
not impaired. The time required from
detecting impact to the deflation of the
SRS airbag after deployment is shorter
than the blink of an eye.
.
To deploy in the event of an accident
involving a moderate to severe frontal
collision
.
To function on a one-time-only basis
The driver’s SRS frontal airbag and front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbag are not
designed as follows.
Both when only the driver’s SRS frontal
airbag deploys and the driver’s and front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbags deploy,
the driver’s and front passenger’s seatbelt
pretensioners operate at the same time.
.
To deploy in most lesser frontal im-
pacts*1
To deploy in most side or rear impacts
or in most rollover accidents*2
.
A head-on collision against a thick con-
crete wall at a vehicle speed of 12 to 19
mph (20 to 30 km/h) or higher activates
only the driver’s SRS frontal airbag or both
driver’s and front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbags. The airbag(s) will also be acti-
When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden,
fairly loud inflation noise will be heard and
some smoke will be released. These
occurrences are a normal result of the
deployment. This smoke does not indicate
a fire in the vehicle.
*1: Because the necessary protection can be
achieved by the seatbelt alone.
*2: Because deployment of only the driver’s
SRS frontal airbag or both the driver’s and
front passenger’s SRS frontal airbags
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
96
vated when the vehicle is exposed to a
frontal impact similar in fashion and
magnitude to the collision described
above.
Only the driver’s SRS frontal airbag or both
driver’s and front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbags may be activated when the vehicle
sustains a hard impact in the undercar-
riage area from the road surface (such as
when the vehicle plunges into a deep ditch,
is severely impacted or knocked hard
against an obstacle on the road such as
a curb).
! Examples of the types of acci-
dents in which it is possible that
the driver’s/driver’s and front
passenger’s SRS frontal
airbag(s) will deploy
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 97
! Examples of the types of accidents in which deployment of the driver’s/driver’s and front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbag(s) is unlikely to occur
1
2
3
4
5
The vehicle strikes an object, such as a
telephone pole or sign pole.
The vehicle slides under the load bed of a
truck.
The vehicle sustains an oblique offset
frontal impact.
The vehicle sustains an offset frontal
collision.
The vehicle strikes an object that can
move or deform, such as a parked
vehicle.
There are many types of collisions which
might not necessarily require deployment
of driver’s/driver’s and front passenger’s
SRS frontal airbag(s). In the event of
accidents like those illustrated, the dri-
ver’s/driver’s and front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbag(s) may not deploy depend-
ing on the level of accident forces involved.
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
98
frontal airbags are not designed to deploy
in most of the following cases.
once either or both of the driver’s and front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbags is/are
activated on the first impact, it/they will
not be activated on the second impact.
! Examples of the types of acci-
dents in which the driver’s/dri-
ver’s and front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbag(s) are not de-
.
If the vehicle is struck from the side or
from behind.
signed to deploy in most cases
.
.
If the vehicle rolls onto its side or roof.
If the vehicle is involved in a low-speed
frontal collision.
& SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag
! SRS side airbag
1
2
First impact
Second impact
The SRS side airbag is stored in the door
side of each front seat seatback, which
bears an “SRS AIRBAG” label.
In an accident where the vehicle is
impacted more than once, the driver’s
and/or front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbag(s) will deploy only once on the first
impact.
In a moderate to severe side impact
collision, the SRS side airbag on the
impacted side of the vehicle deploys
between the occupant and the door panel
and supplements the seatbelt by reducing
the impact on the occupant’s chest and
waist. The SRS side airbag operates only
Example: In the case of a double collision,
first with another vehicle, then against a
concrete wall in immediate succession,
The driver’s and front passenger’s SRS
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 99
for front seat occupants.
for a while following deployment then
slowly deflates.
! Operation
! SRS curtain airbag
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag can function only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” position.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag deploy even when no one occupies
the seat on the side on which an impact is
applied.
Your vehicle is equipped with a SUBARU
SRS curtain airbag system that complies
with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) No. 226.
The following airbags deploy indepen-
dently of each other since each has its
own impact sensor.
When the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag deploy, a sudden, fairly loud
inflation noise will be heard and some
smoke will be released. These occur-
rences are a normal result of the deploy-
ment. This smoke does not indicate a fire
in the vehicle.
The SRS curtain airbag on each side of the
cabin is stored in the roof side (between
the front pillar and a point over the rear
seat). An “SRS AIRBAG” mark is located
at the top of each center pillar.
.
.
.
.
Driver’s SRS side airbag
Front passenger’s SRS side airbag
SRS curtain airbag (right-hand side)
SRS curtain airbag (left-hand side)
In a moderate to severe side impact
collision, the SRS curtain airbag on the
impacted side of the vehicle deploys
between the occupant and the side win-
dow and supplements the seatbelt by
reducing the impact on the occupant’s
head.
Therefore, they may not both deploy in the
same accident. Also, the SRS side airbag
and SRS curtain airbag deploys indepen-
dently of the driver’s and front passenger’s
SRS frontal airbags in the steering wheel
and instrument panel.
CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS side airbag
system components around the
front seat seatback with bare hands
right after deployment. Doing so can
cause burns because the compo-
nents can be very hot as a result of
deployment.
For the locations of the sensors and
control modules, refer to “Components”
�P84.
In a rollover, SRS curtain airbags on both
sides of the vehicle deploy between the
occupant and the side window and supple-
ment the seatbelt by reducing the impact to
the occupant’s head.
! After deployment
After deployment, do not touch any
part of the SRS curtain airbag sys-
tem (from the front pillar to the part
of the roof side over the rear seat).
Doing so can cause burns because
the components can be very hot as a
result of deployment.
After the deployment, the SRS side airbag
immediately starts to deflate. The time
required from detection of an impact to
deflation of an SRS side airbag after
deployment is shorter than the blink of an
eye.
In an offset frontal collision, SRS curtain
airbags on both sides of the vehicle deploy
between the occupant and the side win-
dow and supplement the seatbelt by
reducing the impact to the occupant’s
head and chest.
The SRS curtain airbag remains inflated
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
100
! Example of the type of accident in
! Example of the type of accident
which the SRS side airbag will
most likely deploy
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are designed as follows:
.
To deploy in the event of an accident
involving a moderate to severe side
impact collision
.
To function on a one-time-only basis
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are not designed to deploy in the
following cases:
.
.
In most lesser side impacts
In most frontal or most rear impacts
(because the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag deployment would not
protect the occupant in those situa-
tions)
1
A severe side impact near the front seat.
The SRS curtain airbags are also de-
signed to deploy when the vehicle is in an
extremely inclined state such as during a
rollover. They are not designed to deploy in
most lesser inclined state.
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag
deployment depend on the level of force
experienced in the passenger compart-
ment during a side impact collision. That
level differs from one type of collision to
another, and it may have no bearing on the
visible damage done to the vehicle itself.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 101
! Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS curtain airbag will most likely deploy
1
The vehicle is involved in a severe side
impact near the front seat or the rear seat.
The vehicle rolls onto its side or the roof.
The angle of vehicle tip-up is marginal or
the skidding vehicle’s tires hit a curbstone
laterally.
2
3
4
An offset frontal collision that is severe
enough to deploy the front airbag.
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
102
! Examples of the types of accidents in which it is possible that the SRS side airbag and the SRS curtain airbag will deploy
1
Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard
surface
2
3
Falling into or jumping over a deep hole
Landing hard or vehicle falling
It is possible that the SRS side and curtain
airbags will deploy if a serious impact
occurs to the underside of your vehicle.
Some examples are shown in the illustra-
tion.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 103
! Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS side airbag is unlikely to deploy
1
The vehicle is involved in an oblique side-
on impact.
2
The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact in an area outside the vicinity of
the passenger compartment.
3
4
5
The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or
similar object.
The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact from a motorcycle.
The vehicle rolls onto its side or the roof.
There are many types of collisions which
might not necessarily require SRS side
airbag deployment. In the event of acci-
dents like those illustrated, the SRS side
airbag may not deploy depending on the
level of accident forces involved.
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
104
! Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS curtain airbag is unlikely to deploy
1
2
The vehicle is involved in an oblique side-
on impact.
The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact in an area outside the vicinity of
the passenger compartment.
3
4
The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or
similar object.
The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact from a motorcycle.
There are many types of collisions which
might not necessarily require SRS curtain
airbag deployment. In the event of acci-
dents like those illustrated, the SRS
curtain airbag may not deploy depending
on the level of accident forces involved.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 105
ary).
same direction, once the SRS side airbag
! Examples of the types of acci-
dents in which the SRS side
airbag and SRS curtain airbag
are not designed to deploy in
most cases
2
3
The vehicle is struck from behind.
The vehicle pitches end over end.
and SRS curtain airbag are activated on
the first impact, they will not be activated
on the second.
In the event of accidents like those
illustrated, the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag are not designed to deploy
in most cases.
& SRS airbag system monitors
SRS airbag system warning light
1
2
A
B
First impact
A diagnostic system continually monitors
the readiness of the SRS airbag system
(including front seatbelt pretensioners)
with the ignition switch in the “ON” position.
The SRS airbag system warning light will
show normal system operation by illumi-
nating for approximately 6 seconds when
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON”
position.
Second impact
SRS curtain airbag
SRS side airbag
In an accident where the vehicle is struck
from the side more than once, the SRS
side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy
only once on the first impact.
Example: In the case of a double side
impact collision, first with one vehicle and
immediately followed by another from the
1
The vehicle is involved in frontal collision
with another vehicle (moving or station-
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
106
The following components are monitored
by the SRS airbag system warning light:
– Driver’s side
.
No illumination of the warning
light when the ignition switch is
first turned to the “ON” position
– Front passenger’s side
Seatbelt buckle switch (front passen-
ger’s side)
Front passenger’s occupant detection
system sensor
Front passenger’s occupant detection
control module
Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
and OFF indicator
.
Front impact sensor
.
.
.
.
– Right-hand side
– Left-hand side
.
.
Continuous illumination of the
warning light
.
.
Airbag control module (including im-
pact sensor and rollover sensor)
Frontal airbag module
Illumination of the warning light
while driving
– Driver’s side
– Front passenger’s side
Knee airbag module (driver’s side)
Side impact sensor
& SRS airbag system servicing
.
.
.
.
All related wiring
.
.
Driver’s seat position sensor
Passenger’s seat position sensor
Rear seatbelt pretensioner
– Right-hand side
WARNING
– Center pillar right-hand side
– Center pillar left-hand side
– Front door right-hand side
– Front door left-hand side
– Rear wheel house right-hand side
– Rear wheel house left-hand side
– Under the rear center seat
Side airbag module
– Driver’s side
– Front passenger’s side
Curtain airbag module
– Right-hand side
– Left-hand side
.
.
When discarding an airbag mod-
ule or scrapping the entire vehi-
cle damaged by a collision, con-
sult your SUBARU dealer.
– Left-hand side
The SRS airbag has no user-
serviceable parts. Do not use
electrical test equipment on any
circuit related to the SRS airbag
system. For required servicing of
the SRS airbag, consult your
nearest SUBARU dealer. Tamper-
ing with or disconnecting the
system’s wiring could result in
accidental inflation of the SRS
airbag or could make the system
inoperative, which may result in
serious injury.
WARNING
If the warning light exhibits any of
the following conditions, immedi-
ately stop the vehicle in a safe place,
and consult a SUBARU dealer. Un-
less a technician checks and repairs
the system as needed, the seatbelt
pretensioners and/or the SRS airbag
will not operate properly in the event
of a collision, which may result in
injury.
.
.
.
Seatbelt pretensioner and adaptive
force limiter
– Driver’s side
– Front passenger’s side
Lap belt pretensioner
.
Flashing or flickering of the warn-
ing light
.
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 107
.
The rear part of the vehicle was
involved in an accident in which no
SRS airbag was deployed.
In the event that the SRS airbag is
deployed, replacement of the system
should be performed only by an author-
ized SUBARU dealer. When the compo-
nents of the SRS airbag system are
replaced, use only genuine SUBARU
parts.
CAUTION
If you need service or repair in areas
indicated in the following list, have
the work performed by an author-
ized SUBARU dealer. The SRS air-
bag control module, impact sensors
and airbag modules are stored in
these areas.
& Precautions against vehicle
modification
WARNING
NOTE
In the following cases, contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
.
.
.
.
.
Under the center of the instru-
ment panel
.
To avoid accidental activation of
the system or rendering the sys-
tem inoperative, which may re-
sult in serious injury, no modifi-
cations should be made to any
components or wiring of the SRS
airbag system.
.
The front part of the vehicle was
involved in an accident in which only
the driver’s SRS frontal airbag or
both driver’s and front passenger’s
SRS frontal airbags did not deploy.
The pad of the steering wheel, the
cover over the front passenger’s
SRS frontal airbag, or either roof
side (from the front pillar to a point
over the rear seat) is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
The center pillar, front door, rear
wheel house or rear sub frame, or
an area near these parts, was in-
volved in an accident in which the
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag did not deploy.
On both the right and left sides at
the front of the vehicle
Steering wheel and column and
nearby areas
.
Bottom of the steering column
and nearby areas
This includes following modifica-
tions.
Top of the dashboard on front
passenger’s side and nearby
areas
–
Installation of custom steering
wheels
–
Attachment of additional trim
materials to the dashboard
.
.
.
.
Each front seat and nearby area
Inside each center pillar
Inside each front door
.
.
–
–
Installation of custom seats
Replacement of seat fabric or
leather
In each roof side (from the front
pillar to a point over the rear seat)
–
–
Installation of additional fabric
or leather on the front seat
.
.
Between the rear seat cushion
and rear wheel house on each
side
The fabric or leather of either front
seatback is cut, frayed, or otherwise
damaged.
Attachment of a hands-free
microphone or any other ac-
cessory to a front pillar, a
Under the rear center seat
– CONTINUED –
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
108
center pillar, a rear pillar, the
windshield, a side window, an
assist grip, or any other cabin
surface that would be near a
deploying SRS curtain airbag.
& How to contact the vehicle
manufacturer concerning
modifications for persons
with disabilities that may af-
fect the advanced airbag
system
Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, rear seat, seatbelts, front bumper,
front side frame, radiator panel, instrument
panel, combination meter, steering wheel,
steering column, tire, suspension or floor
panel can affect the operation of the
SUBARU advanced airbag system. If you
have any questions, you may contact the
following SUBARU distributors.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system.
–
Installation of additional elec-
trical/electronic equipment
such as a mobile two-way
radio on or near the SRS air-
bag system components and/
or wiring is not advisable. This
could interfere with proper
operation of the SRS airbag
system.
.
Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
.
.
Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the driver’s
door pillar or specified for indivi-
dual vehicle models in this Own-
er’s Manual.
–
Modifications on or inside the
front door panels for the pur-
pose of a speaker replace-
ment or sound insulation.
<Continental U.S., Alaska and the District
of Columbia>
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Advocacy Department
One Subaru Drive
P.O. Box 9103
Camden, NJ 08101-9877
1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)
.
The impact sensors, which detect
the pressure of an impact, are
located in the doors. Do not
modify any components of the
doors or door trims, such as the
addition of door speakers for
example. Any modifications to
the doors create a risk of the
airbag system becoming inop-
erative or unintended airbag de-
ployment.
.
Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors,
etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.
<Hawaii>
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if you
want to install any accessory parts on your
vehicle.
Subaru Hawaii
2850-A Pukoloa St.,
Honolulu, HI 96819
877-215-0338
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 109
<Guam>
Shen’s Corporation dba Prestige Automo-
biles
491 East Marine Corps Drive,
Dededo, Guam 96929
671-633-2698
<Puerto Rico>
Trebol Motors
296 Marginal JF Kennedy, San Juan,
Puerto Rico
787-793-2828
<Canada>
Subaru Canada, Inc.
Consumer Support Department
560 Suffolk Court, Mississauga, Ontario
L5R 4J7
1-800-894-4212
There are currently no SUBARU distribu-
tors in any other U.S. territories. If you are
in such an area, please contact the
SUBARU distributor or dealer from which
you bought your vehicle.
